London Photo Spots: Discover The Essential Destinations

London is one of the most popular photography locations in Europe. It offers a fantastic combination of modern architecture and historic landmarks with endless photography opportunities. You could spend days capturing the British capital and still find new things to photograph.

While getting lost on purpose is always a fun way to navigate around the city, sometimes it's a good idea to capture the “must-shoot” locations first to avoid disappointment in case of bad weather or a change of plans.

To make our trip more accessible and more organized, we will follow the River Thames as it's surrounded by some of the best photography locations in London. And by the end of it, you will have a roadmap for a perfect photography journey. 

Let’s go, traveler; we have so much to discover today!

Times & Gear for Your London Photography Trip

Before we dive into the best photography spots, let's talk about gear and timing. 

Ideally, you would have a universal zoom lens (24-105mm). This will allow us to capture both cityscapes and details of architectural shots. Additionally, a wide-angle lens (12-24mm) will allow you to photograph the traditional narrow streets and grand buildings in London. You might need to bulk edit photos from your trip, as London promises plenty of capture-worthy moments.

The ideal times for photography in London include the traditional golden and blue hour as well as the sunset and sunrise. Shooting around this time will give you a beautiful soft light and, if you wake up early, even much quieter streets without the crowd.

During the day, consider location scouting and exploring some lesser-known spots. This way, you will be prepared when the light is right!

Find out more: Navigating Hidden NYC's Photoshoot Locations

Top Photography Spots Along the River Thames

London is the best place to take pictures, sure. But in this guide, we will focus on the essential spots along the River Thames. The whole walk is manageable in a day or two, starting at the south bank near the Tower Bridge, photographing the sunrise, and ending at Westminster for the sunset and blur hour.

1. Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is one of the best photoshoot locations in London. While the bridge looks impressive at any time of the day, it does look the best at the end of the morning blue hour and the start of the sunrise. It's at this time when you can get beautiful, warm texture in the sky and still capture the street lights and the illumination of the bridge. For a stunning composition, try Queen's Walk on the southwest side of the bridge.

2. Tower of London

The Tower of London is another historic spot on our list. It offers a unique backdrop and a variety of shots. For a creative contrast, capture the ancient fortress with a modern London rising behind it. This can be done from both the Queen's Walk once finished shooting the Tower Bridge or directly from the Tower Bridge pointing the camera towards the north-west. 

Once finished, don't forget to get closer for detailed shots of the architecture. We also recommend using an image AI filter to make your photos stand out. 

3. HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast is a floating museum and an excellent subject for cityscape photography. While the ship can be photographed from a number of angles, the river bank view captured during sunrise with the Tower Bridge in the background will give you a beautiful combination of historic and iconic landmarks.

4. London Bridge

The London Bridge is one of the best spots in London for photography. It is ideal for capturing the city's busy street scenes, with buses and pedestrians crossing the bridge. Try taking a wide-angle shot from the Southbank to capture the full sweep of the bridge, with the city skyline rising behind it.

5. Millennium Bridge

This modern pedestrian bridge is one of London's architectural highlights. It's perfect for leading-line compositions that guide the viewer's eye directly to St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance. Similar to the Tower Bridg, early mornings are ideal for capturing Millennium Bridge without the usual crowds, allowing you to focus on the lines and symmetry of the bridge. 

But if you are lucky enough to be in this place at a different time of the day, you can use any modern photo editing tools to remove the other person from a photo. This is not a big problem nowadays, fortunately.

6. Golden Jubilee Bridge

This beautiful bridge offers some of the best photo spots in London, such as views of the London Eye, the River Thames, and Westminster. To get the most out of this location, try to arrive around sunset time as the London Eye starts to be illuminated. For even more creativity, you can try a long exposure shot to capture the city's evening glow.

7. The London Eye

The London Eye is one of London's most recognizable landmarks, providing excellent opportunities for creative composition. Try to capture the complete wheel or zoom in to frame a more detailed shot, and don't forget to come back for a night shot when the wheel lights up in bright colours. The north bank directly in front of the wheel offers beautiful composition, often without the distraction of crowds and passing boats.

8. Big Ben

Our list wouldn't be complete without Big Ben or, more appropriately, the Elizabeth Tower. Located next to the Palace of Westminster, it can be captured from the Southbank or the Westminster Bridge itself. As we moved to the west of the city, this location is ideal for the afternoon golden hour or sunset time, which will offer a beautiful soft light and highlight even further the beautiful golden decorations on the tower and the clock.

9. Palace of Westminster

Our photography journey along the Thames ends at the Palace of Westminster. The best way to capture this grand building is from across the river, where you can get the entire structure in one frame. At sunset, the soft glow of the sky against the Palace creates a beautiful contrast and gives you an opportunity for a long exposure, adding extra depth to your images.

Other Photography Spots in London

Of course, London has much more to offer. Here are some other top photography spots worth discovering:

• Buckingham Palace: The Buckingham Palace is great for capturing British royalty and tradition.

• Hyde Park: This historic park in the centre of London is ideal for nature and landscape photography.

• Notting Hill: Visit Notting Hill for the well-known colourful streets and busy markets.

• Camden Market: Bustling with life and colour, Camden offers great opportunities for street photography.

• The Shard: The Shard's observation deck offers an opportunity to explore incredible cityscapes.

Planning Your London Photography Trip

A photography trip to London does require a little bit of preparation, but luckily, there are many tools to help you find inspiration and plan your shoots:

• Google Images: A quick search can give you plenty of inspiration and ideas for different angles and compositions.

• 500px: This platform allows you to see what other photographers have captured in London and discover new photo spots.

• PhotoHound: PhotoHound is a great platform that offers curated photography spots around Londo and great photography tips.

• Instagram: Use Instagram and search hashtags like #LondonPhotography or try to explore location tags to find inspiration from around London.

Conclusion: Leave Room for Discovery

As you plan your photography trip to London, try to avoid focusing just on the popular photography spots. While they will be a great addition to your photography portfolio, some of the best shots are hiding down the forgotten streets. Get out there to discover the secret gems and photograph the unexpected moments that make London so unique.